Reconfinement in France: Macron wants to avoid a collapse of the economy
Thomas Leroux, boss of a construction company, and Sami Garba, his site manager, had to change their work habits, but they will be able to continue to exercise their activity during the reconfinement.
RFI / David Baché
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
Emmanuel Macron announces new confinement in France, slightly revised compared to that of spring.
It begins from this Friday, October 29 and until December 1, to counter the powerful epidemic "second wave".
One of its objectives, however, is to prevent an economic collapse.
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For Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux, president of Medef, “
this reconfinement will cost the country between 50 and 75 billion euros of GDP and cause considerable economic and human damage.
We need a real consultation with the professionals concerned, and mainly the traders, so that we can define protocols allowing their reopening from November 9.
"
For the boss of the bosses, contamination does not occur in shops but rather in the private sphere and yet it is they who are penalized.
“
I understand their dismay and their anger.
It is imperative to chart a perspective.
We cannot afford to confine and deconfin every three months.
The virus is here for a long time.
We must imagine now a way of living and working with it
.
"
And it is an extremely direct answer given by Emmanuel Macron to Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux who feared at the beginning of the week, in the event of confinement like that of March, a collapse of the economy.
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To listen also: Covid-19: "A total reconfinement would present a major risk on the economic and social plan"
Message heard, unlike spring, part of the activity must continue.
Factories, farms, construction, public works, for all these employees who cannot work remotely, nothing must change.
No need to keep their children since schools, colleges and even high schools remain open.
Finding the right balance between health and the economy, while recognizing that there can be no prosperity in times of health crisis.
Because this confinement remains a blow to many sectors: culture, tourism, hotel and catering.
Certainly there will be aid, a more important response than in the spring promised the president, a special plan for the self-employed, for very small businesses, and businesses deemed non-essential.
But many could file for bankruptcy.
There remains a message of encouragement intended for businesses in city centers.
The situation will be reassessed every two weeks.
If the situation is better controlled, some could reopen.
As the Christmas holidays approach, it would be their greatest gift.
►
To read also: Covid: the main announcements
of Emmanuel Macron on the reconfinement
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